


Austin Bound

by boneswrites



Category: 9-1-1 (TV), 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Genre: 911 and 911 Lone Star, Angst, Austin - Freeform, Brotherhood, Buck and Eddie meet the 126 Firefam, Crossover, Cuddles, Domesticity, Eddie and Carlos speak Spanish together, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Eventual Smut, Family Feels, Father-Son Relationship, Fluff, Getting Together, Hugs, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mutual Pining, Sharing a Bed, Some angst, Takes place after the 911 Lone Star finale, Tarlos is, Team as Family, Vulnerability, between Buddie, double dates, soft
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-13
Updated: 2020-05-31
Packaged: 2021-03-01 05:28:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,528
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23130073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/boneswrites/pseuds/boneswrites
Summary: “I heard that a firefighter in Los Angeles had a piece of rebar go through his brain. And then he was back at work within a month,” Judd nonchalantly states.“That’s impossible.”“My buddy swears it's true,” Judd replies.Where Eddie is Judd’s buddy and they've been keeping in touch since Eddie left for LA. After a couple of phone calls with Judd and some catching up, Judd realizes Eddie isn't quite as fine as he claims to be. Judd convinces Eddie to take some time off and to bring Christopher to visit Austin, to see him and meet the 126 crew. Eddie agrees and ends up bringing Buck along, too.AKA where Buddie and Tarlos meet, friendships blossom and feelings are brought into perspective.
Relationships: Carlos Reyes/TK Strand, Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz, Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)
Comments: 97
Kudos: 779





	1. One

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! I finished watching 911 Lone Star and immediately thought about this when Judd mentioned his buddy in LA. And this story was developed! I also wanted to write a fic with both Buddie and Tarlos and them being cute together and double dates! I really hope we get a crossover between the two shows on screen when 911 Lone Star is back for season two. I also hope my characterizations are accurate. I hope you enjoy and feedback is always greatly appreciated! 
> 
> All characters on both shows are included.

Eddie’s phone rings in his pocket as he walks up the stairs leading to the firehouse common area. A whiff of Bobby’s delicious signature breakfast hits his senses and his stomach growls in anticipation. He fishes for his phone while watching the rest of his team crowd around the kitchen island, Hen manning the cutting board to help Bobby while Buck and Chim chat the morning away. 

A smile spreads on Eddie’s face when his eyes land on the caller ID and he immediately picks up. 

“Hey, man,” he answers with excitement in his voice, “it’s been a while.”

“It’s been too long, brother,” the voice replies. 

“That is has,” Eddie agrees. “This is surprise call, pleasant, but surprise.”

“Yeah, I was telling the team about Chimney, and it made me realize we hadn’t spoken in a while,” the man explains.

“Yeah, that’s quite the story. How’ve you been, Judd?”

“Good. For the first time in a long time, I can finally say I’m good,” Judd responds. 

“I’m really glad to hear that,” Eddie says, his heart filling with joy at Judd’s words. 

He knows everything that happened with Judd’s old crew, and the tragedy that took the lives of his brothers and crewmen and left him the sole survivor. 

Even though Eddie wasn’t a firefighter in Austin, he used to participate in charity events along with first responders and he was well acquainted with a few firehouses and their crews, including the original 126 crew. 

Eddie had been in LA for a month when the tragedy stuck, and his heart shattered when his father told him the news over the phone. Eddie managed to head back to Austin for a couple of weeks then but he hadn’t been able to see Judd. He sent the older man supportive texts and checked on him every once in a while, with no response from Judd for an extended period of time.

Until one evening, Judd had sent Eddie a text, thanking him for all the previous texts he sent and they’ve been keeping in touch ever since, having each other’s backs even with states between them.

But Eddie hasn’t been back to Austin since those two weeks. 

“Thank you, brother,” Judd nods, even though Eddie can’t see him. “And the 126 crew, man, they’re great, they’re…family.”

“Yeah, I know exactly what you mean,” Eddie replies, watching as Buck set the table for breakfast. Eddie gives Buck a gesturing saying _one minute_ when the blond points to the food Bobby is placing in the middle of the table. 

“How’s your family doing? Blood and chosen,” Judd asks. 

“Good, good, everyone’s good. Chris is doing great, working hard in school and having sleepovers with his friends every other week,” Eddie catches Judd up.

“I miss that little man,” Judd says. “And sleepovers? Wow, he’s all grown up, huh.”

“Yeah, tell me about it,” Eddie lets out a small chuckle. “And the crew is great, everyone’s healthy and as tight as ever.”

“And you? How are you doing?”

“I’m doing fine,” Eddie replies. 

“You don’t sound fine, Ed,” Judd remarks. 

“It’s nothing, Judd, honestly. Just tired,” Eddie justifies. 

Judd doesn’t quite believe him, but he doesn’t push either. And then the bell goes off. 

“Listen, I have to go, but let’s talk later,” Judd says. “Catch up some more.” 

“Yeah, that sounds good, I’ll text you. Stay safe, man,” Eddie responds.

“You, too, brother,” Judd replies before hanging up. 

Eddie pockets his phone once again and joins the team as they start eating. He serves himself some food and sits down in his seat, the vacant spot next to Buck.

“Who was that?” Buck asks, after swallowing a mouthful of eggs and bacon. 

“A friend,” Eddie replies. “From Austin. Judd.” 

“Oh, what does he do?” Chim asks.

“He’s a firefighter, Ladder 126. Back in Austin, I would participate in some charity events which his house would either plan or take place in, so we got to know each other through the years,” Eddie replies. “And it’s been a while since we talked so we were catching up.”

“That’s nice, keeping in touch with old friends,” Hen speaks up.

Eddie nods. “He actually called because he was telling his team about you and the rebar,” he points to Chim. “And realized we hadn’t spoken in quite some time.”

“That’s a story to tell,” Buck nods.

“That’s what I said,” Eddie chuckles. 

“Next time you speak to him tell him we send our regards,” Bobby says with a smile.

“Will do, Cap.”

*****

“You know who I spoke to today?” Judd says, dropping on the couch next to Grace and wrapping an arm around her shoulder. 

“Who?” Grace replies.

“Eddie Diaz.”

She turns and faces Judd, surprise written across her features. “Oh wow, how long has it been since you two spoke?”

“Too long,” Judd sighs.

“How is he? And how’s Christopher?”

“Christopher is doing great, really good in school and with his friends. That kid deserves the world.” 

“An absolute sweetheart and blessing that little boy is and you got that right, he truly does,” Grace smiles. 

“And Eddie says he’s fine but…I don’t think he is. Something’s up, something’s going on,” Judd shakes his head. “But I didn’t push.”

“Maybe he’s not ready to talk about it,” Grace suggests. 

“Yeah, maybe. He was there for me after I lost my men, even though I wasn’t exactly responsive. He didn’t give up, kept sending me those heartfelt messages, didn’t stop. Someone else, well, they would have stopped after the third unanswered text. But not Eddie. And every time I received another message from him, I felt a little less alone. I just wanna be there for him, you know,” Judd expresses. 

“Baby, you are. You called him, checked up on him, he knows you’re here and he’ll talk when he’s ready,” Grace responds, her eyes soft and voice gentle. 

“I didn’t,” Judd shrugs. “I was never quite ready to face what happened, I was ignoring it and if not for you helping me through it, I probably would never have talked about it or dealt with all of it. But you helped me get there, you knew what I needed even when I didn’t. What if it’s the same with Eddie? Therapy, Lord, I was so resistant to the idea, yet it helped me more than I imagined. I want to help him.”

“It’s all about timing. I knew when to do that, when to guide you and give you small pushes towards what you needed to get better, even though I knew you were going to resist,” Grace replies. “And with Eddie, you just got to have faith and trust that you’ll know when it’s time to guide him, too.”

“He’s a good man,” Judd says.

“Yes, he is,” Grace agrees. 

Judd brushes a tender kiss to his wife’s temple. 

It’s all about timing.

Hell, Judd isn't the kind of person that goes around talking about his feelings and emotions, but he really wants to take Eddie's hand. Because that voice, that tone, Judd heard it before, in his own voice, every time he spoke or said he was fine before he went to therapy. He doesn't know what happened with Eddie, but Eddie isn't fine, that much, he knows. And just like Eddie was there for him, even when Judd was hellbent on being alone, Judd will be there for Eddie. 

*****

“Brush your teeth and straight to bed, buddy,” Eddie tells Chris as they walk through the apartment door. “It’s past your bedtime.”

“But it’s the weekend tomorrow, dad,” Chris replies, making his way towards the bathroom.

“Well, you sooner you sleep, the sooner you wake up and we have our pancake breakfast extravaganza in the morning,” Eddie smiles.

Chris, supporting his weight on his crutches, turns to face his father, his face lighting up in a way that makes Eddie’s heart swell with so much love and happiness. “Yeah! And can we hang out with Buck tomorrow, too?”

“Yeah, I don’t see why not,” Eddie nods. 

“Can he join our pancake extravaganza?” Chris’s eyes go wide with anticipation.

“I’ll check with him, buddy. Now I want your teeth as shiny as pearls!”

Chris giggles and continues his path to the bathroom. 

Eddie pulls out his phone and sends a text to Buck about his and Chris’s morning plans and to come over if he can make it. He then opens his texting thread with Judd, his eyes roam over the date of their last exchange. It really has been too long. He starts typing.

_Eddie Diaz: [10:18 PM] Hey, man. I just got home, it was a long and tiring shift. Are you free tomorrow to catch up? I have the day off. Let me know when works best for you._

He puts his phone away just as Chris exists the bathroom.

Once the little boy is tucked in bed, Eddie plants a kiss to his forehead. 

“Goodnight, _mijo_ ,” Eddie says. “I love you.”

“Night, love you, too,” Chris replies with a smile. 

Eddie switches off the nightstand lamp, and the florescent outer space stickers stuck to Christopher’s ceiling and wall light up, giving the room a little golden glow.

After his own trip to the bathroom, Eddie crawls into his bed, letting out a content sigh at the softness underneath his stiff and tired body. He can’t wait to fall asleep. 

He plugs in his phone to charge and sees a response text from Judd.

_Judd Ryder: [10:23 PM] I hear ya, brother. Tomorrow works just fine. We can talk after my shift, I’ll text ya when I’m home._

Eddie locks his phone and switches off the light. He gets comfortable under the blankets, hugging them close and closes his eyes. He drifts off in no time.


	2. Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pancake extravaganza happens. Eddie, Chris and Buck spend the day together. Eddie and Judd have that promised phone call.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I just want to thank everyone who’s read this, left comments and/or kudos! The response to this story has been amazing and it means the absolute world to me! I’m so glad that you’re enjoying reading this story as much as I’m enjoying writing it. And with that, the second chapter is here! I hope you enjoy and feedback is always greatly appreciated! 
> 
> PS: Please forgive any mistakes!

Eddie’s biological clock wakes him up a little after eight. He lies in bed for a few minutes after waking up, the silence around him both a source of comfort and a calling for his brain to wiz into action. Not quite ready to start thinking deeply about anything, he pushes the blanket off his body and sits up, dangling his legs over the side of the bed and wears his slip ons. He runs a hand through his short hair as he makes his way to the bathroom. 

He emerges from the bathroom a few minutes later and quietly checks on Christopher. The little boy is bundled up in his blanket, a content look on his face. Eddie smiles, closing the bedroom door and returns to his room, grabbing his phone off the nightstand and goes through his messages.

Buck had texted him back after he had fallen asleep. 

_Buck: [11:06 PM] Yeah, sure! Pancake extravaganza is never to be missed. Text me when you’re up!_

Eddie smiles as he types back a message. 

_Eddie: [8:27 AM] Hey, Buck, woke up a bit ago. Chris is still asleep. Drop by whenever._

He slips his phone into his sweatpants pocket and goes to the kitchen to start preparing for the pancake extravaganza about to happen. After pulling out the basic ingredients for breakfast, he then grabs the whipped cream can from the cupboard over the sink, as well as the Nutella jar and sprinkles container.

He sets up everything on the marble counter, along with the bowls and pan they’ll use and retreats into the living room. He falls back on the couch, still in the process of waking up and switches on the tv. It flickers on to the channel they were watching last, a channel dedicated to animated Disney movies. Eddie lays back against the cushions as he watches _Finding Dory_. 

His phone pings half an hour later. 

_Buck: [9:04 AM] Morning! Just got back from my morning run. I’ll take a quick shower and come over_. 

_Finding Dory_ is just about to end when the doorbell rings.

Eddie pushes himself off the couch and opens the door to be greeted by Buck’s big smile, wearing a pair of white jeans and a light blue shirt that brings out the blue of Buck’s eyes.

“Hey, Buck,” Eddie smiles back.

“Hey, man,” Buck replies and moves forward, giving Eddie a quick hug.

After returning the hug, Eddie steps aside, making way for Buck to walk in. 

“Is Chris awake yet?” Buck asks.

“Nope,” Eddie answers, closing the door.

“What were you watching?” Buck points to the tv screen.

“Disney.”

“Ah,” another smile spreads on Buck’s face. “Cute.”

Eddie playfully rolls his eyes but chuckles. “Yeah, yeah, come on. _Monsters, Inc._ is about to start,” he pulls Buck towards the couch. 

“Oh, I love Mike Wazowski!” 

They sit side by side on the couch as the movie starts. Another half an hour passes by when they hear the sound of crutches approaching from behind.

Both Buck and Eddie turn their heads in unison to see Chris walking towards him.

The little boy’s eyes light up when they land on Buck. 

“Buck!” 

“Morning, buddy,” Buck gets up and kneels in front of Christopher, giving him a gentle hug. 

“Morning, _mijo_ ,” Eddie says.

“Morning, dad,” Chris looks up at Eddie.

“Did you brush your teeth?” Eddie asks.

Chris nods.

“Good,” Buck ruffles Chris’s messy hair. 

“What’s on tv?” Chris asks, having caught the movement behind Eddie and Buck.

“ _Monsters, Inc.,”_ Eddie responds. 

“Let’s finish watching it and then start the pancake extravaganza, how does that sound?” Buck suggests. 

“Yeah!” Chris excitedly agrees. 

“Awesome!” Buck then helps Chris over to the couch, where the little boy sits between him and Eddie. 

He giggles along with the movie, and Eddie and Buck share a few looks; both their eyes sparkling and inviting, soft and warm, smiles plastered on their faces.

Once the credits start rolling, it’s Buck who jumps to his feet. 

“Pancake extravaganza time!” He announces with a big smile.

“Yeah!” Chris mirrors his smile. 

Eddie chuckles, also getting up and the three of them move to the kitchen. Eddie helps Chris sit on one of the stools in front of the counter and he and Buck start mixing the batter, working together like the well-oiled machine they are.

“I didn’t know you add baking soda to pancakes,” Buck points out, watching Eddie add the ingredient to the flour.

“Yeah,” Eddie says. “It’s my _Abuela'_ s special recipe. She’d always make it for me when I was a kid.”

All three of them chitchat and laugh together until the batter is done. Once the pancakes were ready to be cooked, Buck steps aside, letting Eddie lead the way as he pours some batter into the pan.

“Can you flip it high, dad?” Chris asks, a smile on his face.

“Of course,” Eddie nods.

Chris giggles when Eddie flips the pancake, catching it back in the pan was ease, and the sound makes both Eddie and Buck’s smiles widen. 

Once the first pancake is done, Eddie slips it onto a large plate and pours more batter into the pan.

“Make magic,” Eddie tells Buck and Chris, pointing to the pancake.

“So, what do you think, Chris? Should we go Nutella, whipped cream or whipped cream, Nutella?”

“Nutella first!” 

“Sounds good, buddy,” Buck nods and grabs the Nutella jar, opening the lid and uses a knife to scoop some of the chocolate and drops it onto the pancake. “Spread that all over,” Buck gives Chris the knife and watches as the boy lathers the pancake in Nutella.

Buck grabs his phone and snaps a couple pictures of Chris doing his thing.

“Second pancake coming right up!” Eddie announces and carefully places the pancake on top of the first one.

“Time for the whipped cream!” Buck hands Chris the can and Chris wastes no time in covering the pancake in white.

“Sprinkles!” 

“You got it, bud,” Buck grabs the sprinkles container and shakes it over the pancake, a rainbow of colors drizzling down.

“How about we be a little healthy and add some strawberries and bananas in there somewhere?” Eddie suggests, flipping the third pancake. 

“Okay!”

Buck chuckles and goes to grab the fruits from the fridge, then he pulls out the cutting board and another knife and chops the fruits into small pieces. “We can put the strawberries with the whipped cream and the bananas with the Nutella, yeah?”

Chris nods. 

“Awesome,” Eddie says, adding the third pancake.

They work together until the batter is finished and the pancake tower stands tall.

“And the final sprinkle,” Buck smiles, drizzling the final layer and then raises his arms. “Victory!” 

“Yay!” Chris giggles, clapping his hands. 

“Lets get a picture of this,” Buck opens his camera and takes some more pictures, and then pictures of Chris with the pancake tower then Eddie and Chris with the pancakes.

“Come on, get in here,” Eddie motions for Buck to get in the frame.

“Selfie time,” Buck says, and expertly takes a selfie of the three of them and the tower, and they’re all wearing big, bright smiles. “Ah, that one is a keeper.” 

“Send the pictures to me,” Eddie tells Buck. 

“It’s so tall!” Chris speaks, still mesmerized by the pancake tower, and extravaganza they created together.

“I’m just gonna say that I’m glad I went for a run already because after this, I doubt I’ll be able to get off the couch,” Buck chuckles. 

“I guess it calls for a day in then,” Eddie adds, grabbing plates from the dishwasher. 

“Sounds good to me,” Buck agrees. “Alright, so I think Chris should have the first three pancakes with the strawberry crown. What do you think, Eddie?”

“Absolutely!” Eddie replies and places the pancakes on Chris’s plate.

Chris giggles. 

“Dig in, buddy!” 

Eddie and Buck then take their pancakes and sit around the counter.

“Want some orange juice?” Buck asks, opening the fridge. 

“Yes, please,” Eddie nods. “Chris?”

“Please,” Chris nods. 

“Hold on, buddy, you’ve got some Nutella on your chin,” Buck looks at Chris, wiping away the chocolate with his thumb. 

Buck then places the three cups of orange juice next to their plates. 

Eddie looks at Chris after they finish breakfast. “So, how was that, buddy?”

“Amazing!”

“Yeah, it really was,” Eddie chuckles. “Go brush your teeth and wanna play with some legos?”

“Yeah!”

“Well, he’s going to be hyped up on sugar all day,” Eddie looks at Buck as Chris makes his way to the bathroom.

“True,” Buck nods.

Eddie goes and grabs Chris’s legos from his bedroom and returns to the living room. “Alright, buddy, there you go.”

Eddie retreats back to the kitchen, where Buck is now leaning against the counter and drinking more orange juice.

Eddie piles the plates and sets them down in the sink to be rinsed and then into the dishwasher they go. 

“So, tell me about Judd,” Buck says, taking another sip of juice. 

“He’s a good man,” Eddie begins. “He’s part of the reason I became a firefighter. After coming back from deployment, and Shannon leaving, I was lost. I was pretty much living like a robot, taking care of Chris, doing what needed to be done. I didn’t even see my family that much. I wasn’t in a good place and being a father is my greatest joy but I wanted to do more. I just didn’t know what,” he shrugs. 

Buck nods along. 

“Then Judd invites me to one of those charity events and he and his firehouse are running drills and he tells me to try some out,” Eddie continues. “I was resisting at first but then I thought, why not? So I ran some of the drills with him and it went well, really well. Judd said I was a natural at it.”

“I can see that,” Buck agrees. 

“I visited the firehouse after the event, Judd gave me a tour and I met the crew and man, that solidarity, that sense of family and closeness, I saw that they constantly had each other’s backs and it reminded me of the bond I had with my brothers in the Army. I was longing for that, so I started thinking about becoming a firefighter. But I also knew I couldn’t stay in Texas any longer,” Eddie sighs.

“Why did you choose LA?” 

“I couldn’t tell you,” Eddie shrugs. “A gut feeling, perhaps. I met with Judd about a week later, I had done some research and told myself I couldn’t ignore what I felt during those drills and walking into that firehouse. I felt it in my bones that this is what I should be doing. He was over the moon when I told him I had decided to become a firefighter, but his face fell when I told him I was leaving Texas.” 

“I can imagine it wasn’t easy,” Buck says.

“It wasn’t,” Eddie shakes his head. “It was a hard goodbye. But he and I both knew that leaving is what I needed most and he supported me. And we’ve been keeping in touch.”

“Having someone like that, who changes your life to the better, is always a blessing,” Buck smiles. “And I guess I owe him a thank you for getting you interested in firefighting. It’s what lead you here, to the 118.” 

“Yeah, I guess so,” Eddie chuckles. “I’m actually talking to him today, to properly catch up. He was pulled to a call yesterday,” he clarifies. 

“Well, give him my hellos,” Buck says.

*****

As promised, Judd texts Eddie after his shift is over and upon his return home. 

Eddie, Chris and Buck are sitting on the couch watching another movie, having just finished the pizza they ordered when Eddie’s phone pings.

“It’s Judd,” Eddie says, opening the text he received. “Time for that phone call.” 

“Want us to pause the movie?” Buck asks.

“No, no, no need. I don’t know how long it will take. I’ll be outside,” Eddie points to the balcony, placing the cold beer bottle on the table in front of them and gets up.

He steps outside, a cool breeze colliding with his face as he closes the sliding door behind him. He dials Judd’s number and places the phone on his ear as it rings. 

Judd picks up after a few moments. “Hey, Ed.”

“Judd, hey,” Eddie responds. “How was shift?”

“It was fine, not many calls, thank the Lord for that,” Judd replies. “How’s your day been?”

“It’s been good,” Eddie smiles. “Buck came over for pancake extravaganza, had that for breakfast, Chris played with legos for a while, all three of us then played video games, ordered pizza and Buck and Chris are watching a movie now.”

“I have so many questions about your day,” Judd says. “But first, Buck?”

“Yeah, Buck, he’s my best friend and work partner. He’s great, man. And he’s amazing with Christopher, too. Always spending time together, Chris always asking if Buck can join us in whatever we’re doing. And Buck is always there, to listen to me rant, to plan something for Christopher. And we’ve always got each other’s backs during work, too.” Eddie’s face heats up a little at the realization that he has been basically gushing over Buck to Judd. 

If Eddie could see Judd right now, he’d see that he has an eyebrow raises and a knowing look on his face. Judd could immediately tell that there’s more to Eddie and Buck, at least from the way Eddie’s talking about him, he could tell Eddie feels so much towards his best friend. 

But Judd decides not to push or pry. Eddie hasn’t always been open to talking about his feelings, much like Judd. “He sounds great, man. And it’s really great about his and Chris’s bond, I think that’s pretty important.”

“Yeah,” Eddie nods. “It’s safe, and Chris feels that safety with Buck. I can’t ask for anything more than that.” 

“I hear ya,” Judd agrees. “Now, pancake extravaganza? What the hell is that?” 

Eddie chuckles. “A pancake tower, and between each pancake is either Nutella or whipped cream and sprinkles.” 

“Seriously? I just got a cavity listening to that,” Judd laughs. 

“We added some strawberries and bananas to try to balance it out,” Eddie says.

“No amount of fruit will balance out that amount of sugar, brother,” Judd replies. 

Eddie chuckles. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. It was good, though.”

“It would be a disappointment if it wasn’t.” 

“How’s Grace doing?” Eddie asks.

“She’s doing well, she tells me to send her regards,” Judd answers. 

“Kiss her cheek for me.”

“Will do.”

“Buck also told me to send you his hellos, and Cap did, too,” Eddie says.

“Send my hellos back to them.”

A beat of silence. 

Then Judd breaks it. “Listen, Ed, I have a suggestion I really hope you’ll take to heart.” 

“Okay.” 

“I know how hard the job gets, and how it can suck you in and as much as you love it, it can also be hard to handle at times. I hear it in your voice, Eddie, and I’m not asking you to tell me anything or explain anything, but I’ve heard your voice in my voice, before, and I can tell you need a break,” Judd explains. 

Eddie sighs, running a hand through his hair. “Yeah, you’re right. I do need a break, I’ve been pushing forward for a while and…” he trails off. 

“You know me, I don’t beat around the bush. So here’s my suggestion. Spring break is around the corner, take some days off, pack your bags, get Chris and come visit Austin,” Judd proposes. “We can catch up face-to-face and you can meet the 126 crew. I think it would be good for you. What do you say?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, you're never too old to watch Disney movies!


	3. Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of Eddie and Judd's conversation. Some realizations dawn on Eddie and he takes a decision.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi all! Thank you so much to everyone who's been reading, leaving kudos and/or commenting, it really means so much to me! And I'm so glad you all are enjoying this story! I hope you enjoy and feedback is always greatly appreciated!

Chris is already half asleep when Eddie finishes the call with Judd and returns to the living room. The little boy is leaning against Buck, his eyes already halfway closed and Buck is gently running his fingers through Chris’s soft curls. 

“Good phone call?” Buck asks, looking at Eddie.

Eddie nods. “It was much needed. He’s about two seconds away from passing out,” he gestures to his son.

“Yeah, he wanted to wait to tell you goodnight,” Buck replies. 

“Let me tuck him in,” Eddie says, moving forward and picking Chris up.

The boy instinctively wraps his arms around his father’s neck and nuzzles his face against his shoulder.

“Come on, _mijo_ , time for bed,” Eddie runs a hand up and down Chris’s back, walking towards his bedroom.

He carefully lowers Chris on his bed and covers him with his blanket, a space-themed blanket that Buck got him for his birthday. It’s Chris’s favorite. 

“Goodnight, buddy,” Eddie plants a kiss to Chris’s forehead. 

“Night, dad,” Chris whispers and closes his eyes. 

Eddie watches his son for a few moments before switching off the side lamp and walking out of the room, quietly closing the door behind him.

In the living room, Buck had paused the movie and was scrolling through his phone. He puts it down when he sees Eddie enter the room from the corner of his eye.

“He’s out?”

“Like a light,” Eddie nods and goes to the kitchen. “Beer?” 

“Sure.” 

Eddie grabs two cold bottles from the fridge and makes his way back to Buck, dropping on the couch next to him with a sigh.

“What’s up?”  
“Huh?” Eddie raises an eyebrow.

“You have that look,” Buck accepts the beer bottle. “You’re lost in thought.” 

“I don’t have a _look_ ,” Eddie defends. 

“You do,” Buck insists. 

Instead of replying, Eddie takes a sip from the cold beverage. 

“Anything I can help with?” Buck asks, concern coating his voice.

Eddie shrugs. “I don’t know. Judd suggested this thing and, well…”

“What did he suggest?”

“That I take some days off, and since spring break is soon, that I should take Chris and visit Austin,” Eddie responds. “And that I need a break.”

“He’s right, you do need a break,” Buck replies. “And visiting Austin sounds like a good idea, getting out of town for a little while could help you.”

Eddie takes another sip from his beer, and Buck mirrors the action.

“I’ll think about it,” Eddie decides. 

Buck nods. “Want to watch a movie? That’s not a cartoon?”

Eddie chuckles. “Yeah, that sounds good.” 

They easily pick a movie and lie back, and as the movie plays and as Eddie keeps thinking, he realizes that a part of him, a substantial part, does miss Texas. 

And turning to look at Buck as the younger man laughs at something said in the movie, and watching his face break into a smile and his blue eyes glitter and sparkle, Eddie realizes he doesn’t want to go back to Texas with his son alone. He wants Buck there with them, too.

They fall into their routine once the movie is over, each of them getting up and automatically doing what they’ve always done after a day spent at Eddie’s; Buck picks up the empty beer bottles and throws them in the trash, and then he checks the sink for any dishes, which he puts into the dishwasher. Eddie switches off the tv screen and does his before bed walk around the house, making sure all the windows are closed and secured. They then meet at the front door as Buck puts on his jacket. It’s usually a little chilly this time of night and he doesn’t want to risk catching a cold. 

“Thanks for today,” Buck smiles. “It was great.”

“Thank you for being a part of it,” Eddie replies, sporting his own smile. 

Buck nods and steps closer to Eddie, wrapping his arms around the shorter man in their familiar hug. It doesn’t last too long but it isn’t a quick bro hug, either. They hold each other, comforted and safe in each other’s grip.

“Yeah, always, man,” Buck eventually replies when they pull apart. “And take some time to think about the Texas trip.”

“Yeah, I will.”

“Night, Eds.” 

“Night, Buck.” 

With one last smile, Buck turns around and steps into the hallway, closing the door behind him.

Eddie’s feet remain planted where they stand for another few moments after Buck leaves. He’s just staring at the closed front door and he finds himself hoping for the day where Buck doesn’t have to leave once the night arrives. 

*****

The next shift at the 118 goes by smoothly and the crew find that they have time for a proper lunch. Of course, Bobby is automatically manning the cooking and he’ll pulling out the ingredients, getting some help from Chim and Hen as Buck and Eddie start clearing the dinner table and setting up plates and cutlery. 

“Did you think about what Judd said?” Buck asks.

“A little,” Eddie nods. “But I’m still thinking it over.” 

But knowing his best friend, Buck gets what Eddie is talking about without him needing to say the words. “Chris is going to be fine.”

“Huh?” Eddie looks up at Buck from where he was setting the plates, raising his eyebrow at the blond. 

“I have a feeling you’re worried how Chris is going to react to it all, going back to Texas, and what that means,” Buck replies. 

Eddie sighs and leans against the railing. He could feel the coolness from the metal seeping into his sink through his uniform. “You’re right. He’ll probably have some questions, why we left Texas and it’s…I think it may be too complicated for him to fully grasp. And since Judd wants us to meet him and his crew, Chris will probably ask why I didn’t become a firefighter in Texas and moved here instead.”

“Your kid is the smartest kid I know, Ed. I know that he’ll understand, he may not understand everything, not fully, but he will understand,” Buck responds. 

“We left Texas a bit after after Shannon left. And right before I pack up Chris and our stuff, I had a conversation with my parents, about Chris and…” Eddie sighs again, shaking his head. “They tried to take him away from me.”

“What?” Buck’s eyes go wide, his eyebrows shooting up his forehead. 

“No, no, not like that,” Eddie quickly says. “They were saying how they were the only consistent people in Chris’s lives, which was true. I was deployed for years and then Shannon left and they were in his corner since the day he was born,” he continues. “I knew it was true, and I knew Chris needed stability. But hearing them say those words, so bluntly and so…it hurt, it stung so much, because everything I did, I did for Chris. And in that moment, sitting in the living room with my parents, I felt like I failed him. By not being there.” 

“Eddie, no, you’re an amazing father,” Buck says with so much sincerity. 

“He’s just an amazing kid,” Eddie replies. “I told them no, that I was raising Chris and I stormed out of the house. A few moments after I was standing on the porch after shutting the door, that’s when I realized Chris was sitting on the steps. I sat next to him and asked if he missed me while I was away, he looked at me and said, _I missed you all the time_ , and that just…I knew from that moment that I won’t leave this kid ever again. I made up my mind then and there. And one week later, we were here.” 

Buck nods, remaining silent as Eddie carries on.

“I think a part of me still feels guilty about taking Chris and moving away from Texas, away from his grandparents and his aunts and cousins. Because the truth is, they were the most stable thing in his life and just like that, we moved away. I hated doing that, moving away from my own parents and sisters but it was too much, it was too hard to stay in Texas,” Eddie expresses. 

Buck takes a moment to digest everything Eddie just told him, and then he speaks. “That’s completely understandable, Eddie. And Chris knows that his mom left, and then he moved here with you. He may not have understood the reasons but he understood what happened. And I think this may be the start for him to start understanding those reasons.”

“I just don’t want to confuse him,” Eddie confesses. 

“Like I said, he’s the smartest kid I know,” Buck smiles. 

*****

Eddie spends the rest of the shift thinking over Buck’s words. And the more he thinks about them, the more he realizes Buck is right. The more scared he is, but by the end of shift, he’s truly convinced taking the trip would be good for him and Chris. He just hopes Buck doesn’t shy away from the invitation to come along. 

Eddie finds Bobby sitting on the couch scrolling through his phone.

“Hey, Cap. Got a minute?” Eddie approaches Bobby.

“Eddie,” Bobby looks up. “Yeah, of course. What’s up?” 

“I was wondering if someone wanted to take some time off, say a week or ten days, would that be possibly?” 

“If there’s enough vacation days saved up, yeah, no problem. Just need to fill the vacation request form and submit it and I approve it,” Bobby explains. 

Eddie nods.

“Going somewhere?” Bobby asks.

“Maybe.” 

Shift ends a little while after that, all of them saying goodnight before going to their respective cars. Eddie lingers in his truck for a few minutes, running a thought through his head. He picks up his phone and dials a number. 

“Hey, Eddie.”

“Hi, Carla,” Eddie replies. “I need a favor.” 

“Sure.”

“Can you stay with Chris for another hour? There’s just something I need to do before coming home,” Eddie says.

“Yeah, sure, no problem,” Carla responds. “Take your time.”

“You’re the best! Thank you.”

After hanging up, Eddie starts the ignition and starts driving towards Buck’s house. He feels the nervousness climbing his body and he takes deep breaths to slow down his heart rate. He really shouldn’t be this nervous. 

This isn’t weird, right? There’s nothing weird about a best friend asking his best friend to tag along on a trip with him and his son. They’re used to doing a lot of things together, spending a lot of time together, this isn’t weird. And Eddie knows Chris would love if it Buck is on the trip with them. And that also may make everything easier for Chris. And for Eddie too, if he was being honest. 

Buck was a support pillar for both Eddie and Chris. 

He arrives the same time Buck does, seeing the Jeep pulling up into a parking spot. Eddie uses the first empty spot he sees and jumps out of his truck, calling out Buck’s name before closing the door.

“Buck!”

Buck turns around at hearing his name. “Eddie?” He frowns, confusion showing on his face. And then slight panic. “Is everything okay? Is Chris okay?”

“Yes, yes,” Eddie answers, walking up to Buck. “Everything’s okay. I just wanted to ask you something.”

“And the phone wasn’t a good idea because…”

Eddie shrugs. “I wanted to ask it face to face.” 

“Okay,” Buck nods. “Want to come in?” 

“Yeah, sure.” 

The closer Eddie is getting to asking Buck, the more nervous he gets. But he reminds himself, _this isn’t weird_. 

Buck unlocks the front door and steps in, dropping his keys on the console near the door and automatically walks to the kitchen. “Beer?”

“Yes, please.” 

Buck grabs two beers and opens them, handing one to Eddie and then leans against the kitchen counter. “So?”

Eddie takes a gulp from his drink and steadies himself. “I’ve been thinking about it and you’re right, I think this trip would be good for me and Chris. But the things is, I think you need a break, too, Buck. With everything that’s happened…well, how many vacation days do you have saved up?” 

Buck’s eyes go a little big at Eddie’s words and question. “A lot.” 

Eddie nods. “Good. Chris and I will go to Texas for vacation and I would like for you to come with us, too.” 


	4. Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Buck's response to Eddie, a heart to heart and trip plans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I'm back with a new chapter! Again, I want to thank everyone who's been reading, leaving kudos and/or comments, it truly means the world to me and I'm so glad you're enjoying this story! I'm having a lot of fun writing it and I appreciate the support so much! I hope you enjoy and feedback is always greatly appreciated!

Buck blinks at Eddie, not saying a word. His mind is still catching up to his best friend’s words, his statement, and what those strung together words mean. He witnesses Eddie’s face changing expressions rapidly; from hopeful, to confused, to concerned, to worried. All while Buck’s face doesn’t change an inch. 

And Eddie, well, quite frankly, is completely freaking out. Unlike so many other moments between them, Eddie can’t read Buck in this instant. He can see that the blond’s mind is working, his gears turning, but he can’t figure out what they’re telling the taller man. Plus, he’s starting to worry and a small voice is saying _yeah, it was weird_ at the back of his head. He’s starting to think that he should just turn on his heels and show himself out the door. 

But then, Buck finally speaks. In reality, probably mere seconds have passed by, but for Buck and Eddie, it was more like hours.

“Oh,” Buck says. “Are you—are you sure? You want me there, I mean? This is your and Chris’s trip and—”

Eddie stops Buck before he talks his lung out. “Buck, Buck.”

“—I wouldn’t…” Buck trails off, his eyes on Eddie’s face.

“Of course I want you there,” Eddie affirms. “And I know Chris would want you there, too.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, really,” Eddie smiles. “Besides, I know it’s not going to be easy for Christopher, or for me if I’m being honest and you being there will make it easier for both of us.”

“I’d love to go with you,” Buck returns the smile. 

“Good,” Eddie nods. “I’ll look into flights and hotels tonight and send you the details.” 

“Hotel? I mean, yeah, I’ll stay at a hotel but I thought your parents will tell you to stay with them,” Buck points out.

“Yeah, they’ll probably do that but I think it would be better if we’d all stay at a hotel. It’s just…it’s been a little bumpy with my parents since the move to LA, and things were better when they were here for my ceremony but I’m not sure I’m ready to be around them for lots of consecutive days. I think we’d step on each other’s toes and I just want to take it one step at a time,” Eddie explains. “Tread lightly.”

“Oh, yeah, that’s completely understandable.”

“I just hope they’re as understanding,” Eddie sighs. “And I know they mean well, they’ve always had, but sometimes it can be a little much. I just want to ease back into it, is all. Anyway, here’s to this trip,” Eddie holds his beer bottle.

Buck clings his own bottle to Eddie’s, and they both take sips. 

“And I’ll introduce you to Judd and he’ll introduce us to his crew,” Eddie adds. 

“That’s going to be cool,” Buck says.

And Eddie agrees. 

They talk for a little more until the beer bottles are done and Eddie is standing up.

“I gotta get home, the extra hour I asked Carla to stay is almost up,” Eddie announces. 

“Tell Chris I say goodnight and sweet dreams,” Buck says, walking Eddie to the door. 

“I will,” Eddie promises. “Night, Buck.”

“Night, Ed.” 

Eddie gets home a few minutes before the hour is officially up. Carla is watching tv when Eddie walks through the front door.

“Hey, Carla,” he greets. “Thank you so much for staying.”

“Of course,” she nods, getting up from the couch. “It go okay?”

“Yeah, it went great,” Eddie nods.

“Glad to hear it,” Carla smiles. “Christopher is in bed, he tried to stay up but he passed out twenty minutes ago.”

After Carla leaves, Eddie makes his way to Chris’s bedroom, gently opening the door and stands in the frame, watching his son sleep a few moments and then steps inside. 

He brushes Chris’s curls back and presses a light kiss to his forehead.

“Goodnight, _mijo_.” 

As promised, Eddie had sent Buck information about flights and hotels. Buck texts Eddie back before the older man falls asleep, telling him he’ll look through all options and they can discuss and decide on shift the following day.

*****

“So, which hotel did you like most?” Eddie slips into the armchair, a cup of hot coffee in hand. He hands Buck the other one.

“Thank you,” Buck accept the coffee with a smile and leans back against the couch cushions. They’re sitting close enough that their knees brush against each other. “I think I like the one in downtown Austin. It looks decent and it’s in the city center, it’s pretty much close to everything so we can walk instead of renting a car or Ubering everywhere. And there are some pretty good food places around that hotel, as well.” 

Eddie raises an eyebrow at his best friend.

Buck’s smile widen and his cheek redden a shade or two. He shrugs, “good food is a priority.” 

“Yeah, alright,” Eddie chuckles. “And I like that one the most, too. Like you said, it’s pretty convenient and I also checked, and it’s close to the 126 firehouse as well, Judd’s house.”

“Oh, that’s even better!”

Eddie nods. “Now about the departure and return dates.” 

“That I need to check with Bobby,” Buck answers.

“Yeah, me too,” Eddie says. He looks around and spots their Captain standing by the railing, scrolling through his phone. He looks back at Buck and without saying anything, they both nod and get to their feet, making their way towards Bobby.

Each of them stand on either side of their Captain, and it’s Eddie who speaks first.

“Hey, Cap.”

“Hey, boys,” Bobby looks up, locking his phone and slipping it into his pocket. “What’s up?”

“Remember those vacation days I asked about before?”  
Bobby nods. 

“I’m taking Chris to Texas for spring break—”

“And I’m going with them,” Buck adds.

“We’re going to meet Judd and I haven’t seen my family in a while, so about those vacation days…”

Bobby smiles. “I’m glad you’re decided to take some time off, both of you. A lot has happened, you’ve been through a lot and time away can definitely help.”

“Thanks, Cap.”

“And about vacation days, both of you have more than enough saved up to cover spring break, so just fill out the vacation request form and I’ll approve it. And it’s enough notice that we can get floaters to cover for you guys while you’re away with no problems,” Bobby explains. 

“So there’s no restrictions on departure and return dates?” Eddie asks.

“None. Just include the dates on the form and you’re good to go.”

“Awesome! Thanks Bobby,” Buck claps Bobby on the back.

“No problem.” 

Buck takes a sip from his coffee as he returns to the couch with Eddie right behind him.

“Okay, so Christopher’s last day at school before spring break is a Thursday, we could fly out Friday and return a week later.” 

Buck pulls out his phone and open the calendar. “That could work, and it’s a couple of days before school returns to give Chris some time to readjust.”

Just as Eddie was about to respond, the bell rings. 

*****

After their shift is over, Buck goes back to his place to shower and change, and then heads to Eddie’s.

Once Eddie got home from shift, he also takes a quick shower after settling Christopher in front of the tv to watch a Disney movie and changes into comfortable sweats and a t-shirt after. He reenters the living room, grabs his phone from the counter and dials the number of their favorite pizzeria, ordering two pies: his favorite and Buck and Chris’s favorite. Just as he falls back onto the soft cushions next to son, his phone pings with a text from Buck telling him he’s on his way.

A little over twenty minutes later, the doorbell rings. Eddie gets to his feet, knowing exactly who’s on the other side of that door. (The pizza takes about forty minutes to be delivered.) 

Opening the door reveals a smiling Buck, carrying a six-pack and he and Eddie share a quick one-armed hug before Eddie steps aside to let Buck into the apartment. 

“Buddy, look who’s here,” Eddie calls to his son.

Christopher turns his head towards Eddie’s voice and his face breaks into a huge smile. “Bucky!” 

“Hey, Chris!” Buck sets the beer on the kitchen counter and quite literally trots towards the little boy. He leans down to give Chris a hug, which the boy happily returns. 

“You’re here for dinner and a movie?” Chris asks excitedly. 

“Yes, I am,” Buck replies.

“Awesome!”

Eddie chuckles, having grabbed two beers for him and Buck (there are a few bottles in his fridge but Buck always brings some when he’s coming over and it turned into their ritual to drink the beer Buck gets) and hands one to the blond. 

“Ah, thank you,” Buck accepts the bottle, taking a sip.

Both men sit on the couch with Christopher snuggled between them, watching the movie play in comfortable silence until the doorbell rings once again and it’s undoubtedly the pizza this time.

“It’s pizza time!” Eddie announces after paying for their food.

“Yay!” Christopher giggles. 

*****  
“Alright, buddy, go wash your hand and teeth,” Eddie tells Chris after they finish eating. “There’s something good Buck and I want to tell you before you sleep.”

“Okay!” 

Eddie and Buck watch as Chris maneuvers his way towards the bathroom, balancing on his crutches as he moves. 

“Are you sure he won’t mind that I’m tagging along?” Buck nervously asks when Chris has disappeared down the hall.

“Buck,” Eddie says. “He’s going to be thrilled, trust me. He’d probably ask if you could come with us if I told him the trip would just be me and him.”

Buck nods. 

Once Chris is back, they return to their previous seating positions, but this time, Buck is kneeling on the carpet in front of the couch, so he and Eddie are facing Chris. 

“Spring break is soon,” Eddie starts, “and we haven’t taken a vacation together in a while, right?”

Chris nods, paying attention. 

“Well, I thought it would be nice for us to visit Texas for a few days, catch up with your grandparents and aunts and cousins. And I get to meet a friend I haven’t seen in a long time,” Eddie continues. 

Chris nods again. 

“And I also thought it would be even nicer for Buck to come with us, what do you say?”

Buck watches as Christopher’s eyes go wide, and they’re immediately filled with light as they move to settle on Buck.

“You’re coming with us, Bucky?” 

Buck nods. “If that’s okay with you, bud.”

“Yes! I would love that!” Christopher exclaims, joy coating his voice. 

At the little boy’s words, Buck can feel himself relax and his heart fills with so much contentment and happiness. And peace. 

“This is going to be the best trip ever!” Christopher giggles.

Eddie looks over at Buck, his face the definition of _I told you so_. 

Buck playfully rolls his eyes at his best friend as a smile spreads on his face. 

Eddie grabs his laptop and opens the airline website. Their tickets are booked five minutes later.

“Well, that’s done,” Eddie says. 

“Can we watch another movie before bed?” Christopher asks. 

“A short one, buddy,” Eddie replies. 

“Will you stay?” Christopher turns to Buck.

“Of course,” Buck nods. 

Chris is starting to doze off by the time the credits roll. Eddie picks him up and secures his grip on his son as he walks through the house and into Christopher’s bedroom. He gently lowers the little boy onto the mattress and covers him with his favorite outer space blanket (that Buck got for his birthday). 

Eddie brushes a kiss to Christopher’s forehead, stays in the bedroom for another minute before retreating to the living room where Buck is sitting on the couch.

Eddie falls backwards next to his best friend.

“I should get going, it’s been a long day,” Buck speaks after a few beats of silence.

Eddie nods. 

“Do you need help cleaning up?”

Eddie shakes his head, “I got it.”

“Alright,” Buck says, getting to his feet and Eddie follows. 

After saying goodbye and exchanging a quick hug, Eddie turns and walks back to the living room, picking up the pizza boxes, puts the remaining slices into a container and into the fridge it goes. They used napkins instead of plates, so he makes sure the table is clean and discards his and Buck’s empty bottle and finally calls it a night after making sure the door and windows are all locked.

Eddie unlocks his phone and types a quick message to send to Judd. 

_Eddie Diaz: [10:43 PM] Judd, good news! Texas trip is go. Going to visit for spring break and Buck is coming along. Plane tickets have been booked and hotel rooms reserved._

_Judd Ryder: [10:45 PM] Atta boy! That’s great to hear, brother! Looking forward to it and so is Grace!_


End file.
